Electric fan



Sept. 8, 1931. A. M. SCHICK ELECTRIC FAN Filed June 13, 1930 w I a. A 6 a C Y a f u? 4 Z HT M a 15;: A g Kw 5 Patented Sept. 8, 1931 PATENT OFFICE ADOLIH M. SCHICK, OF WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH .TO

E. G. VOLTZ, OF WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA ELECTRIC FAN Application filed .Tune 13,

This invention relates to electric fans, and it has for its primary object to provide a fan adapted for continuous rotation and embodying means whereby may be controlled both the direction and the speed of rotation.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in association with an electric fan, a series of blades or vanes against which currents of air created by the fan engage in such manner as to cause rotation of the fan, said blades being arranged for, adjustment to control both the speed and direction of rotation.

A still further object is to provide, in association with the blades and the adjusting mechanism, means for cushioning said blades to prevent objectionable vibration and rattling of the latter.

, In describing the invention in detail, reference is herein had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of an electric fan embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a partial side elevation of the same;

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3, Fig. 1.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section of a portion of the fan support illustrating the rotary contactor, the section being taken on line 4-4, Fig. 2;

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail section showing the blade-cushioning means; and- Figure 6 is an enlarged detail view of the adjusting-rod tensioning means.

Referring to said drawings, 1 designates an electric motor which has mounted on the rotor 2 thereof a bladed fan 3 of any preferred type. Said motor is mounted upon the outer end of an upright shaft 4 which is journalled for rotation in a socket 5 provided therefor in a supporting standard 6. Said standard may have an integral base 7 adapting it for seating upon a table or other fiat surface, or, in reverse position, it may form a part of a pendent ceiling fixture. The socket-received end of the shaft 4 preferably rests upon a ball 8 disposed at the inner end of the socket.

Mounted in a socket or recess 9 disposed in concentric relation to said socket 5 is a hous- 1930. Serial No. 460,869.

ing 10 for ball bearings, and engaged with the innerjface of said housing is an annular shoulder 11 formed 011 said shaft 4, the inner end portion of said shaft having a greater diameter than its outer end portion.

Mounted in a socket 12 of still greater diameter than said socket 9 and concentric ductors 17 and 18 for electric current, said conductors leading through bores or passages provided therefor in said standard 6 and the member 13, as shown in Fig.4. The

rotary member 19 of said contactor is fiXed to the shaft 4, as by a pin 20, and carries brushes 21 and 22 which, in rotation thereof, make wiping contact with said rings 15 and 16, respectively, said brushes having'connection with conductors 28 and 24 leading to the motor.

Mounted in enclosing relation to the fan is a guard or cage 25 which includes a circum ferential metal rim 26 about its face portion. Said rim carries interiorly thereof a plurality of fixed oppositely disposed socket pieces 27 in which are mounted for rotary movement trunnions 28 formed on the inner edge portions of the opposite ends of a plurality of sheet metal vanes or blades 29, the arrange ment of said socket pieces being such that the therein mounted blades are disposed vertically in spaced parallel relation, as shown.

Mounted and longitudinally shiftable in one side of said rim 26 is one end of a horizontal rod or shaft 30 which is directed throughsaid blades 29 intermediate the inner and outer ed es of the latter. Interposed between each 0 the opposite sides of each bladeand an adjacent fixed member, as a collar 31, carried by said rod 30 is a light rod encircling spiral spring 32. Said springs exert yielding pressure upon said blades and serve to cushion the latter to the extent that vibration due to air currents or blasts ema nating from the'fan and striking said blades is prevented. The opposite end of said rod is attached to the rim 26 by means of a retractile coil spring 33, as is best shown in Fig. 6. The first mentioned end of said rod is screw threaded and projects outwardly through .the rim .26, and adj ustably. mounted on said end is a handwheel 34hr an equivalent device whereby said rod may be drawn longitudinally in a direction against the ten sion of the sprin -33 roiadjusting the blades to or toward the full line positionshown in Figs. 3 and 5; or whereby, upon rotation in the opposite direction the spring 33 is per= mitted to retract for shiftingsaidblades to. or toward the dotted line position shown in said Figs-3 and 5.

As. is manifest, by rotation. of said .handd wheelthe rod may be shifted to inclinei said: blades-to any extent required, as the substantially extreme. full and dotted line positions. indicated in. Figs. 3- and Moreover, it is evident that the direction i of rotation imparted to theshaft and the therebycarried parts. is. dependentaupon the :di-i' rection in which said blades are inclined alsothat the speed. of rotation isp wholly dependent upon the. angle of inclination .of said blades. Said blades inay have their outeiw edgeslaterally curved more or less in one di: rection Orthebther, thus .to increase the re-; sistance offered by theiblades-to blasts .of airv fromthefan. Such formation ofthe blades also serves to so deflect the air currents that theeair. is more completely diffused. without. the.-.production of objectionable;:drafts- What isclaimed is? 1. The combination with anelectric motor and a :thereby carriedfan, of a shaft adapted for, continuous, rotation disposedin supporta mg relation to sald motor and fan, a guard carried in enclosing relationatoi said fan, blades. p votally mounted on i said guard in front ofsaid fan, a long tudinally adjustable member mounted-on. said guard, resilient meanstendingto hold said member in:a1e-. tracted position, means for adjustingthe position of saidmembers against the ;tension ofsa-id resilient means, and connections between said member and said bladeswhereby adjustment of the former effects corresponc ing adjustmentof the angle of inclination of said .bldaes relative .tothe axis of said fan, said connections including spring cushions arranged at oppositesides ofsaidblades.

2.. The combination with'an electric motor anda thereby carried fan, of a shaft adapted for. continuous rotation disposed in support ingrelzitionto said motor. and fan, a guard carried in enclosing'relation to .said fan,

blades pivotally mounted on saidguard in front. of said fan, 'a longitudinally shiftable rod carried by said guard, said rod being directedi throughsaid blades, resilientameans.

tending to hold said rodretracted in one di-F rectioniof its length, collars carried by said between i 3 of sa1dblades,-aspring tendingito hold said closing .said blades relative to theaxis of saidfan whereby is controlled the direction and speed of rotation of the fan-supporting shaft.

3. The combination with an electric motor and a .fal-rcarried and drivenzthereby, of aau shaft;onwhichusaid .motor is mounted, a standard having said shaft mounted thereon for-continuous rotation, a fixed guard enclosing said fan, blades pivoted on said guard and disposed in front of said fan, a longitudinally shiftable rod carried by said guardaand having connection with each .of said blades, springs carried .by said rod in seated a cushioning vrelation. to opposite sides rod shifted in one. direction, and means. for effecting shifting of said rod in. the opposite direction- 4?. In combination with I an electric. :fan..e1'n-. bodying a rotary blade delement, a guard en: said element, air diffusing blades piv' oted on saidguard in front of said ele'ment,a. longitudinally shiftable rod carried by said.

guard and having connection with said dif-' fusing blades, elements carried by said rod in 9 seated cushioningmelation:to said diffusing blades atopposite sldes of the latter, a spring tending to hold said rod normally retracted i in the, direction -.of one of its ends, and means for shifting said rod in the opposite direction 1 against the force exerted by-said spring...

In testimony whereof, I affiii my signature.

ADOLPH' MI SCHICK. 

